July
18 Devi #1

Creators: Shekhar Kapur, creator; Siddarth Kotian, script; Mukesh Singh, artist
Virgin Comics, 32 pages, color, $2.99
So? The first offering from Virgin Comics is an impressive read, with a look and story that effectively evokes a mythological tone. Created by filmmaker Shekhar Kapur (director of the 1998 Oscar-nomed pic “Elizabeth” and 2002’s “The Four Feathers”) and based nominally on Indian mythology, the book also has tinges of the cool of Todd McFarlane’s Spawn and the scope of Peter Jackson’s “The Lord of the Rings” film trilogy. The story begins with Bala, a god who centuries ago rebelled and sought to bend mankind to his will. To stop him, the rest of the pantheon of gods each give up part of their powers to create Devi, a woman who has the power to stop and imprison Bala. Cut to present day, where Bala has escaped and it seems clear that Devi will have to return to Earth to put a stop to him. The book is well-written and beautifully drawn and has real potential to be that rare indie hit in the U.S. comics market if the quality can be kept up. The production values on this book also are top-notch, with beautiful color and printing to create a nice package. Grade: A-